This invention relates generally to barriers that are intended to protect infants, toddlers and pets by blocking their entry into potentially dangerous areas such as a staircase.
There are many dangers lurking inside a home for an infant or toddler to encounter, one of them being stairs. Thus, parents and other caretakers may be advised when xe2x80x9cbaby-proofingxe2x80x9d their home to provide a barrier to prevent the child from gaining access to a staircase. Typically these barriers are in the form of a gate.
Many gates are intended to be permanently or semi-permanently fixed at the top and/or bottom of a staircase. Once installed, these types of gates are not easily removed and transported. Other types of gates may not be as permanently placed; however, these gates also tend to be cumbersome and difficult to transport. This creates a problem for parents who need to bring a gate with them when traveling with their small children.
For example, parents may visit family members or friends who do not have safety gates already in place. Thus, the parents might need to bring a gate with them. Because traveling with a small child usually requires transporting other equipment such as a stroller, car seat and playard, it is desirable to have a safety gate that is easy to transport, install and remove.
Thus, there is a need for a collapsible barrier that is easy to transport.